


Take a Trip Down Candy Cane Lane with Me

by wellthizizdeprezzing



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas Themed, Christmas rom com, F/F, Holidays, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Snow Globes, So many cliches, cliches, swanqueen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21567184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthizizdeprezzing/pseuds/wellthizizdeprezzing
Summary: Emma messes with one of Regina's magical items and it gets them trapped in a snow globe. The only way to get out of it, is to survive the Christmas Rom Com that's playing there and admit they're in love with each other. But can they do it, or will this turn into a Christmas nightmare?
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 27
Kudos: 257
Collections: Aleatório, Swan Queen Advent Calendar Collection 1





	Take a Trip Down Candy Cane Lane with Me

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holiday's Swen! Hope ya enjoy this silly take on Christmas rom com movies.

“Miss Swan, don't shake that-”

But Regina's warning comes too late.

“Oops,” is all a guilty Emma can say as her hands are on the globe and the flakes are already falling and suddenly Emma and Regina are falling while standing still and Emma's hand is on an entirely different globe. Regina doesn't approve and smacks Emma's hand off of her clothed breast.

“What just happened?” Emma asks as the room stops spinning and she can see right. She rubs her eyes and finds the image is unwavering. They are standing on the street of a town where snow is lightly falling and everything is dressed up for Christmas. Despite the breath forming around her mouth, it's not cold at all.

 _Candy cane lane_ it said in festive writing on the glowing banner that hung from the lamppost.

“You got us stuck!” Regina exclaimed angrily.

“Stuck where? I swear I only touched a snow globe!” Emma protested as people walked around them. Regina took off angrily down the street, craning her head up and down and assessing the situation they were in.

“That's exactly the issue! I told you not to shake it!”

“Yea, _after_ I shook it.”

“ _After_ I specifically told you not to touch anything in my vault!” Regina raised her voice in exasperation and several people looked at them in worry.

“How the hell was I supposed to know that it was dangerous? I thought it was only a decoration!” Regina had been blabbering about one thing or another in the vault and Emma had gotten bored and looked around and seen the snow globe. It looked like one of those classic ones. All nice and shiny with a cute little town inside it. So she had shaken it because that's what you did with snow globes. And now they were here, who knows where. The town looked a bit like Storybooke, but Emma didn't recognize any of the buildings.

“Well it's not. It was on my shelf of dangerous things for a reason,” Regina explained, coming to the end of main street. Beyond it the street clearly went on, but when Regina tried to go past it, she found she couldn't. It was like an invisible wall was up. And when she tried to summon her magic to see if she could part it that way, she could not either because she was lacking magic. This was most unfavorable.

“Okay,” Emma huffed, accepting the fact she had fucked with something she shouldn't. “So, what did I do and how do I fix it?”

“I don't...I don't actually know,” Regina responded with. Emma's shoulders slumped. She had been relying on the dark haired former queen knowing. If she didn't know, then this situation could stick forever!

“Do you know anything?”

“Well, I know we're trapped inside the snow globe,” Regina said, looking up at the sky. Hard to discern at first, both women could make it out after copious staring. A sort of an unnatural sheen to the sky, similar to the thick invisible wall preventing them from moving on. “But how we get out I have no idea. We could be stuck here for years,” she began to fret, thinking of Henry. “Whose going to take care of him properly? Surely your idiot parents can't.”

Emma frowned but decided to let the insult slide for now. They needed to focus on getting out of here, but before Emma could say anything, a voice spoke up.

“ _ **Emma Swan was a 28 year old woman, recently moved from Boston and come to the small town of Storybooke. She had come here to get a fresh start and had been fortunate enough to get a job at the local bake shop, a quaint little store run by Regina Mills**_.”

“Who the hell is saying that?” Emma looked around wildly but couldn't see anyone or anything. Was she going crazy?

“Me, running a quaint bake shop?” Regina gasped in offense. “I never!”

“Regina, focus on the important stuff!” Emma chastised as the mysterious and deep grandfatherly voice continued.

“ _ **But this wasn't just any bake shop. It was a legendary one**_.”

“That's more like it,” Regina said under her breath, a conceited little grin on her face.

“ _ **People from all over would come and flock it, trying to get a taste of Mills' magical muffins.**_ ”

At that Emma snorted. “They really do love your muffin, don't they,” she winked at Regina who scowled at her childish tendency.

“ _ **Or of her scones. Or of her freshly baked bread. The lines went on and on and it brought a lot of tourism to the otherwise sleepy Storybooke. Regina took much pride in her work and she demanded a lot of excellence in return which was why she was so hard on her employees. Emma, had gone to culinary school when she was younger and had worked in many restaurants before while in Boston. Which was why she was hired so readily. Not to mention a worker had been fired by Regina and needed to replaced quickly before the next day to handle the rush**_.”

“Okay, I think this is some sort of narration about our lives,” Emma said when the male voice stopped. “But why? And why such a set up? Me, working in a bake shop?”

“You can't even toast bread,” Regina added on and they both knew it was true. “This leads me to think the magical object is a situational one. Meaning, it exacts scenarios which we have to follow and which could be the way out of here,” she said with budding excitement as things clicked in her head.

“Are you sure? Maybe it's purpose is to trap us in a story or something like that,” Emma fretted.

Regina shook her head. “No, I'm remembering bits and pieces now of something I read. There was a magical object, a snow globe, that trapped those inside it's globe in a Christmas like world. People used to go inside it for fun and for another chance at something new but once the story reached it's end, they were ejected! This could be the one!”

“That doesn't sound fun,” Emma sighed, not happy. Wasn't being stuck in a fairy-tale book world bad enough? Now she was in a world within a world. World-ception. “Who knows what kind of story this could be. What if it's a bad one?”

Regina's excitement was dialed down at this. “It's....a possibility. Some people were unfortunate enough to get terrible stories. Ones of disaster and death. I can recall instances were people came out, only to have a dead partner with them.”

Emma gulped at this. Suddenly the cheery tinsel hanging from the lampposts did not look as innocent. “What if we don't do the story?”

“We don't exactly have a choice,” Regina stated firmly. “It's either follow the story or content ourselves with living here forever.”

“Right,” Emma nodded her head reluctantly and kicked at a pile of snow sullenly. “So, guess we better find that bake shop?”

They walked down main street.

It wasn't hard to find it. It had a line stretching out the front door.

“Wow, Bake Shop. You really went with originality there,” Emma said sarcastically as she read the shop name.

Regina gave her a glare.

They pushed their way inside, none of the customers paying them much mind as they walked in. The shop had been closed as it was only six in the morning and the shop was going to open at 6:30. They got to the back where a couple of people were milling around.

Emma recognized one. It was Ruby.

“Do you think Ruby's stuck in the story too?” Emma whispered to Regina as they shed their coats and began to get ready, which meant putting on an apron and tying their hair back before going to wash their hands.

“I highly doubt it, unless she found a way to break into my vault and touch the snow globe, which, I don't think she would. Everyone knows better than to touch the evil queen's magical items,” Regina said pointedly.

“Touch something once,” Emma grumbled, “and she'll never let you live it down.” Almost like married couples, fighting over inane things.

“Just get to your station,” Regina finished getting ready. “Or else the story might not go on and I don't want to be trapped here for who knows how long.”

“Ugh, fine,” Emma rolled her eyes. Emma didn't even know how the hell she would pull off being a baker when she had no idea how to work an oven.

Emma couldn't help but go over next to Ruby, drawing comfort from seeing a friend, even if it wasn't her friend. “Hey Rubes,” she greeted, giving her a little hip bump as Ruby was kneading some dough.

“ _ **Emma and Ruby had become fast friends ever since Emma was hired into the shop. The both of them could spend hours on end, laughing about anything.**_

“Hey Emma,” Ruby smiled when the narration was over. “How was your one night stand yesterday?”

“My what?”

“Oh, you know, the girl you met at the bar and went home with.”

Okay, so it seemed Emma was bi in this story like in real life. Why was her sexual preference taken into account in this story? If so, she wondered what Regina's was. It was something Emma contemplated about many times, especially when Regina had that blue dress on.

“Uh, it went well you know,” Emma garnished weakly. “Can't complain.”

“Think something more might come out of it?” Ruby asked.

“I don't know,” Emma shrugged and pulled out some dough as well, pretending like she knew what the hell was going on.

“You're not on breads, silly. You're on cupcake duty,” Ruby slapped Emma's hands away. “Go. Shoo.”

“Right,” Emma gave a fake smile and went to what looked like the cupcake station. Everything was already spread out there and she had no idea what the hell to do.

“ _ **Regina was going around, yelling at her employees to pick up the pace**_ ,” the narrator informed and Emma heard some yelling going on in the background as Regina made her rounds.

“Add more sugar. No, that's supposed to be dye-free! Yes, the recipe calls for kale now. We changed it last week!” It honestly sounded like Regina was randomly shouting out things. Emma fumbled with some of her materials and pretended like she was working.

“We haven't got all day!” Regina cried out when she got to her, though they caught each other's eye, knowing this was an act.

“You trying to be the next Gordon Ramsey?” Emma teased.

Regina couldn't help the amused smile on her upper lip. “Where's the lamb sauce, Miss Swan?”

“ _ **Regina was not amused by Emma's comment and decided to chastise her**_ ,” the narrator interjected. Both women frowned and looked up at where his voice was coming from.

“Why does it want you to be rude to me?” Emma pondered.

“I'm not sure...I'm still trying to work out what sort of story this could be. All I know is that it's holiday based,” Regina said before clearing her throat. “Miss Swan! That is not an appropriate comment to make in my establishment. Now get to work!”

Emma ducked her head as the screaming brought a few stares around and some whispers among the staff.

“Regina's always laying into Emma. She needs to relax on her.”

“She needs to relax on all of us,” countered another.

“Poor Swan gets all the bad vibes thrown at her,” added on another.

Regina put her hands on her hips and had to pretend like she couldn't hear this, poking her cheek with her tongue in annoyance.

“Guess we're not friends in this world,” Emma offered up unhelpfully.

“Just focus on getting through the plot,” Regina added before moving on.

And Emma turned back to her cupcakes.

Surprisingly, or by the powers of the plot, Emma was super talented when it came to making cupcakes. She whipped the batter up together in no time and was baking dozens of them, decorating carefully the ones she already had cooled, making fun pink or blue butterflies on them, or anything that went with today's theme.

By the time the shop opened, she had a couple dozen done and was going up front to stock them. An influx of customers came in and they kept Emma and everyone else so busy they barely had time to talk or even get a drink of water.

When the shop finally closed at six pm they all let out sighs of relief.

Emma was aching all over and tired.

“Good job staff,” Regina announced. “Go home, rest, and I want you all to work just as hard tomorrow.”

Emma undid her apron, covered in flour and icing and waved good bye to Ruby who pulled away on a motor bike outside.

Soon it was only Emma and Regina in the back of the store.

“Well, this was certainly something,” Emma commented as Regina cleaned up a bit of powder on the counter.

“I must agree. I don't know if can do another day of this menial work.”

“As if signing off on city documents isn't menial work,” Emma countered.

“At least it's making a difference. The only change I'm making here is rotting people's teeth and giving them diabetes.”

“Don't be a grump. We'll just keep powering through until this story reaches an end,” Emma said, because one of them had to be hopeful.

“ _ **Emma stayed back so she could ask her boss something. Lately, she had been working on a new recipe and she wanted Regina to try it and sanction it for the store. But convincing her ornery boss would take a lot of grease work**_.”

“Emma, are you okay?” Regina asked when Emma had suddenly paused in conversation and tilted her head to the side.

“Yea...you didn't hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“The comment the narrator made,” Emma said.

Regina shook her head. “No. I didn't hear anything.”

“Huh, he must have made the comment towards me only.”

“It's possible we've heard different things from him time to time as our life is narrated and the plot moves on. What did he tell you?”

“He told me to propose a new idea for a recipe for you. But that you would try really hard to shot it down.”

“Did he say what recipe?”

“No. So I guess anything goes.”

Regina gave a heavy sigh. The both of them were tired and needed to sleep. Which was another issue. Where did they even live?

“Alright, give me your best shot,” Regina put her hands on her hips.

“Um, bearclaws?” Emma tried because it was the first thing that came to mind. And she was missing the taste of them.

“No,” Regina said without sounding like she meant it.

“Please?” Emma begged without actually begging.

“Hm, okay, you convinced me,” Regina said and it seemed to work because the plot moved on.

“ _ **With the new recipe a go, Emma Swan was able to go home and sleep.**_ ”

Wherever that was. But Emma didn't have to worry, because the world around them blacked out.

* * *

She came to, finding herself in the shop, just as it was closing for another day. She had the sensation of having worked hard but without actually having to do it. She narrowed her eyes in confusion as she stared at Ruby closing up shop.

“The hell,” she murmured under her breath to herself.

“Miss Swan.” Regina's voice called attention to her. Regina had her arms crossed over her chest and sounded like she was reading lines. “I don't give out praise easily, but I must say, your bearclaws did an amazing job today. But don't let it get to your head.”

“Uh, thanks.” Emma wasn't quite sure how to respond to this because she had no recollection of the day happening even though all the memories of it were in her head. As Regina strode off to the back to check up on the closing of the shop, Emma found she couldn't go after her because it was yet another cut scene.

Emma found herself working in back, working on new variations of the bear claws. She was tapping a pencil on the pad of paper as she brainstormed.

Regina came into the dimmed back room where all the baking was done, a mug of coffee in her hand. “Go home, Miss Swan,” she said but Emma was already shaking her head no. She wasn't as disoriented this time by the time jump.

“I want to add filling to the inside of the bear claw. But I can't get it right.”

Regina approached, looking at Emma's failed attempts. “Hm, I can see what you're doing wrong. Let me show you how to fix it.” Regina set down her coffee and rolled up her sleeves, getting ready to bake.

“You don't have to show me,” Emma protested.

“On the contrary I do,” Regina assured and set about doing it. As she did it, she got some flour on her face, which she didn't notice but which was bothering Emma.

“Uh, you have a bit of....” Emma pointed at her cheek. Regina stared blankly at her. “What?”

“Flour. Flour on your cheek,” Emma said. Regina patted at her skin. “Did I get it?” she asked.

“No, higher up.”

“Now?”

“No, to the left.”

“How about now?”

Emma reached over, losing patience, and wiped it off for Regina. “There you go. All better.”

“Thank you,” Regina replied and in the background soft romantic music was playing.

“ _ **They stared at each other over the counter, eyes drinking in the emotions on their faces**_ ,” the narrator stated. “ _ **Sexual tension began to flourish between them**_.”

Regina rolled her eyes while Emma blushed lightly. “Well, this is awkward,” she averted her gaze. “Um, why would the narrator say something like that?”

“I think I have an idea, but I'm not sure yet,” Regina commented, working on the pastry as Emma watched her work the dough with an expertise that probably wasn't story given, but a natural talent. And for not the last time, Emma wondered, where this story was going to take them.

* * *

Emma knew about a month had gone by. How a month had gone by and it was still Christmas, was a miracle. Or maybe not. It was beginning to feel like a burden. Especially when she had to listen to the same five holiday songs played on repeat.

“I think I'll sabotage this radio if it doesn't play some damned rock music,” Emma grumbled as Regina checked up on her to make sure she was doing her work. She leaned against the gray steel table, arms crossed as she watched Emma concentrate on making tiny dots.

“If you don't do it, I will. God, even the sound of Gilbert Gotfried reading fifty shades of Grey to me sounds better right now.”

Emma chuckled. “And, if I have to bake one more Christmas tree cookie, I'll burn down the whole shop.”

“Go ahead, I'll be there, handing you the gasoline.”

“You trying to make false arson claims and rake in that insurance money?” Emma teased. “But then where would the many hungry souls go for their sweets?”

“Ah, if only we could end the story that way,” Regina frowned. “But no, the ending still isn't clear to me. This could be a comedy film. Or a film about friendship. About you maybe making me a nicer person, since apparently I'm an asshole.”

“What else is new,” Emma teased to which Regina rolled her eyes but didn't get offended at. “Just make your calorie bombs. I'll be out, screaming about more lamb sauce.”

Some whispers were going around as the staff watched Emma and Regina talk. Neither could hear what was being said but they didn't particularly care. Not until Ruby later approached Emma with a smirk on her face.

“So....you and the boss,” she bumped her hip into Emma's, almost destroying Emma's ability to make a perfect loop on her cake.

“What about us?” she said with a hint of irritation because the cake had nearly been ruined.

“Don't act coy. We've suddenly noticed how she's much nicer to you.”

“Really?” because Emma and Regina hadn't changed much towards each other, but perhaps in terms of the story, their relationship had progressed. “I guess.”

“So, when are you going to act on your crush and ask her out?”

“My crush!” Emma sputtered and looked around wildly to make sure Regina wasn't in ear shot. Had this snow globe read her mind?

“Don't worry, Regina's not around. She's chewing out Aurora for falling asleep in the cake mix again. So, spill. You gonna ask her or what?”

“Ruby I am in no position to ask her out. She's my boss!”

“You won't know until you try,” Ruby shrugged. “We're all rooting on you. We even got a betting pool to see if you'll land her before Christmas.”

Emma shook her head in silent disagreement.

“Oh come on. She's been broken up with her fiance Robin for ages now. You have nothing to worry about.”

“And that's exactly my issue. She's not gay,” Emma stressed. Even in a fake story, Emma couldn't have things her way.

“I don't know. The way she's making eyes at you, it kinda seems like she is.”

Emma shrugged, suddenly upset and not wanting to talk about this anymore. Ruby could sense that and backed off, leaving Emma deep in thought. So deep that she accidentally made hearts with the icing and by the time she noticed it was too late.

* * *

Finally, a scene not in the damned bake shop.

Emma came to, looking at a window display with presents. She was looking for something to send her friends, but there was nothing too interesting there.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to look. She went inside the quaint small shop when who should she see but Regina, staring forlornly at an object.

“Hey,” she called out and Regina tore out of the reverie she was in, putting the object back.

“Hello Emma. Fancy seeing you here.”

“A change of scenery for once. I was afraid our whole lives would begin to revolve around that stupid Bake Shop.”

_**“Regina and Emma are going to share some personal information about the holidays. Robin took Henry this year for the holidays, leaving Regina alone. And Emma is always just alone on the holidays.”** _

Emma grimaced. Wow, what nice commentary.

Regina hmphed in vexation. “Well, at least Henry won't be involved in this idiocy. But, just like the narrator said, I'm spending Christmas alone. Which isn't a bad thing!” she defended, annoyed.

“And so am I,” Emma said. No sooner had that come from out her mouth than the narrator spoke up once more. _**“The two of them bond over this experience, and it brings them ever closer. Perhaps the boundaries lying between them begin to break down and a tentative truce arises as Emma gets to see who Regina is behind her tough exterior and Regina gets to see who Emma is behind that clumsy appearance.**_ ”

This immediately jumps them into another scene, the two of them blinking and shaking their head at how rapidly this has occurred. Emma is still tapping her head to get the buzzing out of it, when the voice spoke again.

“ _ **Since Emma and Regina were now getting along better, Emma decided to ask Regina out for coffee**_ ,” the narrator announced.

“Huh?” Emma looked up in confusion though she knew she wouldn't see the voice. “I mean, I guess. It's just coffee,” she shrugged thinking it was a bit out of place, but Regina was looking distressed by this.

“Oh no,” Regina groaned out as everything started to make sense to her. “We're in a rom com. A Christmas rom com.”

“What's wrong with them?” Emma enjoyed watching the occasional one or two with a pint of ice cream and some wine.

“They're terrible. So sappy and unrealistic. And, _we're_ the main characters!” She gesticulated with some amount of distress.

Regina waited for that to sink in. When it did, Emma's cheeks went pink. “Oh.” Suddenly the coffee thing made more sense. “So I guess we're going to have to-” she couldn't finish the thought out loud, pointing with her finger between her and Regina.

“Yes,” Regina said grimly and Emma's stomach did a funny thing were it floated up in joy at the possibility of them going on an actual date before it dropped at Regina's grimace. The queen was so not into the idea of being with Emma on a date.

Emma swallowed down bitter disappointment and tried to not let it show. “Yea, um, yuck,” she made a disgusted face so Regina wouldn't think she was over eager.

“I'll meet you for coffee at the one place that has any. See me there Sunday at 12.”

“What day even is today?” Because Emma had no clue of how time ran here.

“I don't know, but knowing this plot, it'll probably be tomorrow. Or at least cut right to Sunday. So be ready.”

“Right,” Emma nodded her head sternly while butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought of going on an actual, romantic date with Regina.

Before Emma can say another word, the scene changes again.

This time, the two of them are sitting at a cafe table, ugly Christmas sweaters of green and red and dancing snowman on.

“Who dressed me,” Regina hissed, indignant. “I demand to know who! I would never show up to a date like this!”

“Relax,” Emma raises her hands. “Let's not waste energy on something we can't change.”

Regina's lips twisted up in distaste. “You're lucky we're friends Miss Swan, or I would never forgive you for trapping in a world with such horrid tastes in fashion!”

“Sorry,” Emma murmured sheepishly. “Uh, order anything on the menu? It's on me.”

“I can pay for myself,” Regina said, looking at the menu.

“This is a date. And because of that, I'm paying for you.”

Regina's eyes met Emma's and Emma flushed as she realized what she said. Hopefully Regina wouldn't think this too forward of her.

“Alright, then. I'll have a cappuccino,” Regina said. “And a tart on the side.”

Emma ordered for the both of them, getting a slice of pie and a hot cocoa for herself. When the drink came, Regina took to the spoon and began to do something to it.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Emma asked, mouth going dry as she watching Regina basically making out with the spoon.

“The narrator told me to seduce you with this spoon. So I am. Is it working?” Regina said sarcastically.

“No?” Emma squeaked out and then cleared her throat because it was. “I guess we should conclude the date? Have it end so we can get it over with and move on plot wise?”

Regina shook her head. “No, I actually am enjoying some peace and quiet from the bake shop. And it's nice for us to actually be hanging out together. We all know with the chaos in Storybooke we barely ever get a chance.” Regina closed her eyes at this as she remembered something sour. “And now, I've accidentally remembered we left a problem happening in Storybooke, unattended. I only hope your parents can keep Henry safe and manage to not completely obliterate the town by the time we get back.”

“Yea,” Emma sighed out, no longer finding this date stress-free either. They really needed to find a way to speed up this story.

As they sat there, now in sullen silence, which was not how Emma would have liked a date with Regina to go, snow began to fall on them. It made things even more cliché.

“We're inside a store. This doesn't even make any sense,” Regina grumbled fiercely, blowing off a flake that had landed on her tart before she bit angrily into it.

* * *

“I can't believe this!” Regina hissed out, annoyed. “Two weeks to Christmas and we've got this massive back order on all our goods. This has to be scripted.” She angrily slammed down a bag of flour and tied her apron on as she got ready to make up the orders. She had only found out about this in the last hour of the shop being open. Since the holidays were coming up the shop would be closed on the weekends and they wouldn't have time to do this. So, she would have to stay behind and do it all herself because everyone had plans. Everyone but Emma.

“I can stay behind and do it with you,” Emma offered, knowing this was where the story wanted them to go. She might as well make it happen to make this smoother.

“Of course you can,” Regina snapped and then shook her head. “Sorry, I don't mean to snap at you, it's just this is getting ridiculous and I want to be back in Storybooke already.”

“Same,” Emma sighed out and took out some baking trays. “Alright, what do we need to do?”

Regina slid some recipes across the table. “All this. Do you think we can make it before morning?”

“Probably,” Emma shrugged. “We won't know until we try.”

And so they began to do just that. Emma got a bunch of ingredients and began to mix it in a huge bowl, stirring briskly. “At least you'll learn some new skills from this snow globe,” Regina commented as she worked on her own batch, pouring a made batter into a cupcake mold.

“I knew how to bake before, I just didn't know to make anything besides cookies.”

“Yes, cookies with a flavor of burnt,” Regina laughed and Emma fake frowned, taking her spoon and flicking it at Regina to get back at her.

The brunette gasped as the mixture splattered across her face. The look of pure shock was hilarious. Now Emma was the one laughing.

“Oh, you are on!” Regina shot back and grabbed a handful of what was close to her. It turned out to be flour and it covered Emma who coughed and tried to rub it out of her eyes while reaching for something else to throw at Regina.

They dissolved into laughter and giggles as they raced around the table, throwing anything food related they could get their hands on. “Regina, stay still!” Emma shouted out and Regina ducked the handful of raw egg being flung at her.

“Never!” Regina shot back and threw smushed raspberries at Emma, the red material getting stuck in Emma's blonde tresses. Emma gave an offended gasp and this time, vaulted over the table to get to Regina. Regina gave a shriek and tried to move but she was too slow. Emma knocked her down to the floor and shoved cake onto her face, mashing it in.

They were both behaving like little kids but they didn't care right now.

Regina spat out bits of the cake as she lay regaining her breath. Emma helped her up, the two of them finally coming down from their high. Regina wiped at the cake on her face, getting it off with the end of her apron, scooping up the tiny bit left over with her tongue.

The food fight had left them a bit breathless and looking crazy, with flour coating their skin and clothing and globs of icing running down their bodies as well as other food. They looked at each other, little chuckles escaping their lips in puffs.

“ _ **And now, they shared their first kiss**_ ,” the narrator announced.

Regina and Emma both blanched, the playful mood immediately sobered.

“A kiss?” Regina protested.

“At this time?” Emma gaped.

“We don't- I mean, we've only had technically three weeks of character development, how is that enough time to fall in love!”

“This is a terrible time for a kiss! There's like no tension, and we're both really tired from over time and we're covered in flour!”

But the narrator did not care. “ _ **And now, they shared their first kiss**_ ,” he repeated more firmly.

They gave each other looks. Oh this was going to be hella awkward. Especially for Emma because she might actually, have a kinda tinsy crush on Regina.

“Well, I guess we should do it, to get it over with,” Regina said, slapping her hands on her legs and knocking some flour powder off. “Do you want me to-”

“Oh no, I guess I should-”

They edged towards each other, Emma's heart beating in her chest wildly. The space between them shrunk and yet they didn't kiss.

“Should I put my hand-”

“No, I don't think we need to do anything with our hands. Just lean in and you know-”

“Oh are you sure? Cuz I was thinking-”

“If you have a better way of doing this then by all means-”

They cut themselves off and waited, doing nothing. Emma could feel her mouth going dry. Of all the ways she had fantasized of kissing Regina, this hadn't been one of them.

It had been with Emma being way more smooth and had involved heroic rescues and flowers.

“ _ **And now, they shared their first kiss**_ ,” the narrator repeated a third time, sounding more annoyed.

“Would you give us a moment-” Emma cried out irritably and Regina took this time to just jump in and kiss her. It was an awkward kiss, more like a peck and it almost missed Emma's mouth entirely because she was busy being mid rant.

But it definitely quieted Emma down. Regina couldn't meet Emma's eyes once she pulled back.

“I think we should get back to the-”

“-cookies, yup, hm, totally agree,” Emma nodded quickly and grabbed a cookie from one of the trays and shoved the whole thing into her mouth like a mad woman so she wouldn't be tempted to lean in and properly kiss Regina.

* * *

Emma found herself in a crush of hot sweaty bodies. It was disorienting specifically because she had just been with Regina a while ago, sharing their first kiss.

“The hell?” she grumbled out as she saw several people twerking to Christmas trap music. Notably a song about Rudolph the Reindeer. Getting krunk.

In her hand was a drink she had half drank. She turned around in confusion and found Ruby to her right, shaking her behind like crazy. “Ruby. Ruby!” she called out. The dancing brunette stopped and looked at Emma.

“Girl, what are you doing? Get lit!” she enthused and tugged Emma by her wrist.

Emma wanted to know what the hell was going on. But she guessed she wasn't going to learn anything from Ruby right now. Even the narrator was quiet. So she decided why the hell not enjoy this and began to dance to the horrific music playing.

When about ten songs had passed, Ruby pulled her away from the crowd and they found themselves at the bar again. “What are we celebrating?” Emma asked because it was quieter here.

Ruby gave her a questioning look. “We're celebrating you.”

“Why?”

“Because it's your birthday!”

Oh. Well, not in the real world but eh. She got herself new drink and rejoined Ruby into the crowd. The rest of the night passed in a blur and when Emma woke up the next morning it was with no hangover, which only happened in movies.

Her phone buzzed on her bed stand and she reached it, seeing it was a text from Regina wishing her a happy birthday. Emma smiled softly and then the scene cut.

* * *

This time Emma was back in the shop, searching for something in the storage room. It was a bit chilly here and dark. The narrator hadn't bothered to put on the light for her.

Regina strode in a second later. “Emma,” she began only to be cut off by the omnipresent voice.

“ _ **Regina saw Emma looking like a snack today and couldn't resist from pushing her against the wall of the store room where they started making out**_ ,” the narrator said.

“Oh for fucks sake,” Emma grumbled out, because was this narrator purposefully trying to sabotage her? She was trying to keep this friendship with Regina but it was going to be hard to keep her feelings in check if they kept having to kiss.

“This narrator is relentless,” Regina grumbled out as she grabbed Emma in the storage room and pushed her lightly against the wall.

Again they were forced to kiss and the awkwardness leaked off of them. Regina licked her lips uncertain as what to do, eyes flashing with apologies. Emma was the one who felt bad because she would enjoy this, but Regina didn't have a crush on her more than likely and this was inconvenient and annoying for her.

Emma lightly settled her hands on Regina's hips as Regina put her face closer to Emma's, lips hovering inches away as they steeled themselves for this kiss. “Uh, do you want me to lead?”

Emma shrugged, trying to be super casual and like her heart wasn't pounding out of her chest. “Sure.”

“ _ **They made out,**_ ” the narrator repeated loudly. “ _ **Sensuously**_.”

Regina gave an irritated huff at the narrator's words but let her lips land on Emma's. This kiss was better than their first. Emma could feel every inch of Regina's mouth on hers. Feel the faint scar she had. The gentle press of Regina's lips increased in pressure as they began to tilt their heads to the side, mouths slanting against each other.

The dark of the room made this more intimate than it already was and when Regina's tongue played at the seams of Emma's lips, Emma opened her mouth to let it in. Their tongue tangled and neither was sure who moaned but all Emma knew was she could feel a steady building heat inside her as the hands she had on Regina's hips tightened their grip and then pulled the woman closer so their bodies were flush.

And holy shit, was Regina a good kisser when she was trying. Emma's head was going light from all the toe curling kisses and she couldn't help the moan coming from the back of her throat when Regina's hand came up to fist Emma's blonde locks. Their lips parted and came together never quite leaving.

They didn't know how long they stood there and made out except that Regina eventually pulled away, panting and her voice gone husky. “I think....I think we've done as asked.”

“Yea. I think so too,” Emma agreed breathlessly wishing she could still be kissing Regina. Her hands dropped from her hips as Regina took several steps back and left the scene.

* * *

“You know...I was thinking...” Emma cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck as she tried to get the following words out. “Since we're both going to be alone during the holidays...”

“You should come over and spend Christmas with me,” Regina finished for Emma.

“How did you-”

“Where else could the story go,” Regina snapped irritably, making Emma wince at this. “Sorry, I don't mean to snap at you. I don't mind spending time with you. It's just the story is absurd and it's annoying me.”

“Look on the bright side, if the plot is getting this close to Christmas, it must mean the story is nearing the end,” Emma reasoned. She had seen enough Christmas rom coms to get the general gist.

“You do have a point there,” Regina contemplated, arms crossed over her chest. “So, come over to my place, Emma. I have a mansion in this story.”

“Course you do. Should I bring a gift?”

“It's a Christmas movie, what do you think?” Regina arched a brow sarcastically.

As soon as she said that, Emma found herself whirled away to a store. She blinked as she adjusted. “Ugh,” she groaned out. “Guess this is the part where I do some Christmas shopping and get Regina something sentimental.” She sighed out. She did want to buy Regina something nice but she didn't know what. The woman already had everything.

Emma chewed on her bottom lip and began to peruse the aisles.

* * *

“Come in,” Regina greeted Emma. She let the blonde pass her into the mansion. Snow was lightly sprinkling outside in the dusk.

“Hm, the house smells great,” Emma commented as she took off her coat and shoes.

“I made smoked ham for dinner and chocolate cake for dessert,” Regina responded. “I hope you'll like them.”

“I love anything you cook, Regina,” Emma assured as Regina lead the way to the dining room where the table was spread out lavishly. Emma set down her gift to the side; there would be time for that later.

The two of them sat down and began to enjoy their meal as happy Christmas music played on the radio. Emma nearly moaned out loud at the first taste of food on her tongue. It tasted so delicious and made her long for being back home so that she could actually enjoy Regina's cooking for real.

“ _ **Regina had a sad back story. Because of all the time she spent on work, she didn't have anyone to spend Christmas with. She began to tell Emma her sad story.**_ ”

Regina rolled her eyes at this. “Insert generic sad back story here,” she stated sarcastically. Surprisingly it worked and the plot progressed.

“ _ **So did Emma. She was an orphan and she shared her story too**_.”

“Oh come on, why do I still have to be the orphan in these stories too,” she grumbled. “Just once I would like to be rich.” She gave an exasperated sigh but continued on. “Well, you already know, I'm an orphan. And it sucked being one.” She hoped this would be good enough for the narrator.

It seemed it was because he did not say anything for the rest of the dinner until it came time to break out the wine.

_**“The two of them took to enjoying the wine in front of Regina's blazing hearth.”** _

Both of them rolled their eyes at this but went to do so, finding the giant hearth already lit and a soft skin rug waiting for them.

“This reminds me a bit of the enchanted forest,” Regina confessed. “Sitting in front of a giant fire and enjoying some wine. It was pretty much all we had in way of entertainment back in the day.”

“Yea, well nowadays we can even get a fake hearth. There's TV programs for those without fireplaces where there's a yule log just blazing away,” Emma commented.

Regina looked aghast at the idea of this. “Why? It's not the same.”

Emma shrugged. “Not every one can have it. I remember never being able to really celebrate Christmas and for me, watching TV shows and movies was as close as I could get to it.”

Regina looked pensive at this. “I'm sorry-”

“Don't apologize. I really don't want to hear it right now,” Emma shook her head.

Regina was silent for a beat, thinking something over. “Maybe....maybe you could come celebrate Christmas with me and Henry this year.”

Emma's eyes got wide at this. “You mean it?”

“I do,” Regina said sincerely. “He's been asking if we could have one together now, since we're friends and all.”

“Of course I would love to,” Emma said, a small smile finding way onto her lips.

They dropped into another conversational topic after this, and soon they were sitting in front of the fireplace on a thick fluffy rug, laughing and drinking wine. The fire warmed their outsides, while the wine warmed their insides. It was nice to be like this; for once being normal and not having to think about magical threats or villains or talking animals. They found themselves leaning forwards unconsciously until they noticed and it stopped their laughter short. Eyes darted down to lips, breathing becoming more shallow.

“Do you....do you think this is another kiss scene?” Emma asked in a sort of hoarse voice.

“I don't know. I don't hear the narrator,” Regina admitted though she didn't stop looking at Emma's lips.

“Maybe, we couldn't hear him over our conversation?” Emma offered hopefully. She really wanted to kiss Regina right now.

“Hm, maybe,” Regina agreed.

With a tentative hand, Emma cupped Regina's warm cheek in hers. This made Regina bring up her eyes, their gazes meeting. The brunette's eyes were like liquid chocolate and filled with some sort of emotion inside them. And when Regina's lips parted slightly, Emma knew what it was.

Want.

So she leaned in and kissed Regina without another thought, stroking her thumb over her cheek. Regina's eyes slipped closed as she sunk into the kiss.

“ _ **They kissed**_ ,” the narrator announced, a beat later after they already had.

They snorted in amusement at his comment but didn't break the kiss. Emma's hand trailed down to Regina's neck, feeling her pulse jumping underneath.

“ _ **They both decided they were going to have sex tonight**_.”

Like a record scratch, that seemed to ruin the moment. Both jumped away from each other like they had discovered they were kissing a spider.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Emma raised her hands, cheeks flushed. “I wasn't going to-”

“And I wasn't going to assume-” Regina added, mildly annoyed their good kiss had been ruined. But now that the plot had decreed it, it seemed they would actually have to have sex in order to progress.

Emma would be lying if she said she wasn't happy or interested in how sex would go. She just wished the circumstances would be different. “Regina, before we do anything, I need to know. Are you okay with this?”

“With having sex with you?”

“Yes. Because....I don't mind.” That was harder to say than a hard to swallow pill. Admitting all that emotion. She couldn't stand it if Regina would be disgusted by her. “I just want to make sure you're okay with it. If you don't want to do it, we don't have to. Maybe we can find a way around it-”

“Emma,” Regina's hand landed on the rambling blonde's knee. She had an intense look on her face. “I'm okay with it. I trust you'll be good to me.”

Emma nodded her head.

So. This was real.

They were about to do it.

She only wished she could make it more romantic for Regina like she had in her dreams. But she had to work with what she had.

She stood up and pulled up Regina with her. “Let's go to bed then.”

They found their way to Regina's bedroom with no trouble, not even bothering to turn on the lights. Several candles were already lit, like Regina had been planning for this but they both knew the narrator had done it.

Emma felt a sudden bout of nerves hit her again. She wiped her hands on her jeans. “Seriously, though, Regina. I want to make sure you're okay with this. That...that you're not just...” Emma wanted to say, _not just doing this for the plot, but doing it for me_. Yet, those words couldn't come out of her mouth.

Regina cupped Emma's cheek and brought it upwards so she could look into worried sea green eyes. “Emma, I want this with you. And not just because of the plot,” she stated, her voice a bit husky.

Emma's heart fluttered in her chest hopefully.

“So get on with it before I melt with want.”

The way Regina growled out those words had Emma nearly weak in her knees. Without another word she kissed the palm of Regina's hand and let it drop from her face, quickly jerking off her top and shimmying out of her pants until she was only in her underwear.

Regina did the same and they both took a moment to look at each other. Really look at each other.

“Wow,” Emma breathed out which only made Regina smirk. “Come here,” she encouraged, crooking her finger at Emma as she sat on the bed. Emma went until she ended up crawling over Regina, looking down at her. At her dark expressive eyes, at the perfect curves of her body.

And then Regina was flipping them over, with a dark chuckle. “I'm afraid I'm the top. Unless you have any objections?”

Emma shook her head head no. Because she had an even better view of Regina from down here. The way her breasts just begged to be freed from her cups. Regina straddled Emma's thighs and Emma felt her breath leave her a little bit.

Oh.

Regina was really wet. Emma hadn't expected that. She thought she would be the only enjoying this.

“What? Shocked?” Regina teased a bit. “You're an attractive woman, Emma. You turn me on.”

That was a lot to unpack and what Emma wanted to know was, was Regina only turned on now or had she been turned on other times before and how attractive did she really think Emma was-

Emma's thoughts drew to a halt when Regina slid up her body and parted her thighs around Emma's head. “I can hear the thoughts about to burst out of your mouth, so put it to better use.”

And now Regina was commanding Emma around in bed? Not really a shock but Emma found she liked it and was going to use it in her fantasies later.

And the rest of the night, well, it simply was Christmas magic.

* * *

The howling of wind woke Emma up and for a second she thought she was back home. But no, they were still in Regina's story mansion, surrounded by candles that had burned out, air smelling of vanilla and gingerbread.

Regina was in bed next to her and Emma had to stare at her in silence for a while because she couldn't quite believe how lucky she was to have spent a night with Regina like she had longed to do so for long. She was still in awe, and she felt herself surging with happiness even as some parts of her body were achy and sore.

“Merry Christmas,” Emma murmured sleepily as Regina woke up next to her, in that giant fluffy bed.

“Good morning,” Regina greeted back.

“ _ **Waking up after a night of amorous activities, Regina and Emma decide to finally confess to one another, because it is clear to them both, they are in love**_.”

This time they both heard the narration loud and clear and Emma's heart thumped in her chest. Was it too much to ask that Regina really felt this way about her? Still, Emma had a role to play. She sat up a bit, thankfully having a top on. She cleared her throat and couldn't met Regina's eyes as she spoke.

“Regina Mills. I have had feelings for you ever since I can remember. I admire you for being a strong and brave person. For putting up with so much and never giving up. And I....I would like to date you, if you'd let me. Because I love you,” Emma whispered out, voice harsh.

Regina sat up too, holding the sheets to her chest as she cupped Emma's cheek in her warm hand. “Emma Swan, you are an idiot. I've felt the same way for you for a while now, despite my better judgment.” Of course, typical Regina style confession. No compliment without a retort.

“But...but Robin-”

“You were with Hook at the time and I had to distract myself,” Regina clarified. “And yes, I would like to date you too. I love you.”

They brought their foreheads together as Emma's heart swelled so much she feared it would break. She was unbelievably happy right now.

They kissed.

Suddenly the world span around them and as they pulled apart from the soft and slow kiss, they found themselves in Regina's Vault, clothed.

“We're back,” Emma whispered in shock, before more loudly, “We're back!” Back in a snow free Storybooke.

“Quick, Henry!” Regina said as they rushed out of the Vault to go check up on the town and see how much damage had occurred while they were gone.

* * *

Thankfully, it seemed they were only gone a day at most, and were able to quickly handle the situation by working together like a team. It was done sooner than expected and found them at Granny's, having a lunch with Henry. Henry was in the bathroom right now and he didn't know about their adventure in the globe. They had to tell him before he got too curious and found out on his own, but they didn't know what to tell him.

“Emma, can you focus on something else besides food right now? We need to tell Henry something,” Regina chastised.

“Sorry, I just have this insane craving for Christmas cookies from the snow globe,” Emma confessed.

“Don't eat these,” Regina pulled the plate away from her. “I'll bake you some real quality ones at home.”

Emma's eyes light up. She always loved whatever Regina cooked or baked. “Really?”

“Yes, now lets focus.”

“Well, I don't see why we can't be honest with him.”

“And tell him what? That we had sex?” Regina said in a whisper shout.

“Wow, I walked into a dozy of a conversation didn't I?” Ruby said from behind Regina. She had been carrying a pot she was going to use to refill their coffee. Regina gave her a sour look while Emma flushed. “Uh, you misheard us. We totally said 'hex'. Like as in a curse. Nothing like sex. Nope, nothing at all-ek!”

Regina had kicked Emma in the shins to stop her from aggravating the situation. Emma scowled at Regina who was smiling falsely at Ruby. “Do you mind?” she asked in a not pleasant tone of voice and Ruby left, not wanting to have the mayor's wrath on her.

“On top of that, what even are we?” Emma asked Regina. “We basically admitted our feelings for each other. Unless those.....those were fake.” Emma's voice got weaker as she said this, truly dreading such an outcome. “Just said to get us out of there...”

“Emma,” Regina made sure Ruby wasn't looking- she was the biggest gossip and she did not need Ruby taking all the joy and pleasure out of outing them to Snow before Regina could- before placing her hand on Emma's. “I meant what I said. I want to date you.”

“Thank god,” Emma sighed out in relief, nearly sagging into her seat. “I don't think I could have handled the rejection well after all we went through.”

Henry came back from the bathroom and slid in next to Emma. The two women exchanged looks and wordlessly decided Regina would be the one to tell him. She was better with words anyways.

* * *

After coming out to Henry, they had one more thing to solve: the mystery of the snow globe and why it worked the way it did.

Regina found the answer faster than expected, picking up the heavy tome she had been studying in her vault and bringing it to Emma. “Look here,” she stated and pointed at the page's passage.

“Whoever shakes the globe, the story plays out to their desires,” Emma read aloud and frowned. She waited for Regina to explain this to her.

“Emma, this means that the world we were trapped in in the snow globe was one you wanted to be in,” Regina said slowly.

Realization dawned on Emma. “Oh.” It wasn't a good oh. “Who, me?” She shook her head, back tracking, embarrassment making her face hot. She subconsciously must wished to have a chance with Regina and the globe had given her one, in the form of a sappy rom com. “I think a spider touched it first with all those cobwebs you have down there. It wasn't me, it was the spider! You really must clean more!”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Emma, next time pick a better storyline.”

Emma's mouth flapped open and closed, trying to refute this point and failing to do so. Too late. Regina already knew. “Wait, next time?” Emma squeaked out. “You want there to be a next time?”

Regina was already shelving the book and leaving against the shelves as Emma followed after her like a pup. “Come, Emma. You owe me a proper first date. In _our_ world.” She grabbed Emma's jacket lapels when Emma got close enough and pulled her in for a kiss.

Emma's brain short circuited. For some reason, despite them kissing in the snow globe, this felt more real. Better. The press of soft lips, the warmth of Regina under her. Maybe it was because Emma knew Regina felt the same for her now.

They pulled apart slowly and Regina looked up at the ceiling where a mistletoe had magically sprung over them. “Emma...?” she questioned.

Emma gave a sheepish grin. “We didn't get a mistletoe kiss in the story. Thought it was only appropriate to include one.”

Regina rolled her eyes but couldn't contain her grin at Emma's antics. “Come here,” she said and kissed Emma again.


End file.
